(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire guide system for use in a wire dispensing system. In particular, the present invention relates to a wire guide system that is flexible to allow the wire to be fed through the system and around a bend.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Wire dispensing systems are generally known in the art for providing a wire from a source location through a wire guide to a desired location. Wire dispensing systems of this type can be used in systems for dispensing weld wire from a wire supply source or drum toward a weld gun.
Weld guns and welding systems typically include a wire electrode in the form of a weld wire. One type of welding process is known as gas metal arc welding, also known as metal inert gas welding or metal active gas welding. In these weld processes, an electric arc is formed between the metal workpiece and the consumable wire electrode, which heats the workpiece metals, thereby causing the workpiece metals to melt and join.
The wire electrode is fed into the weld gun, along with shielding gas. The shielding gas shields the welding process from the adjacent air. The weld gun typically includes a number of components that combine to allow the wire and gas to be fed into and through the weld gun. As the wire is fed through the gun and consumed during the welding process, additional amounts of weld wire are required to continue the process.
Weld wire is typically supplied from a stationary spool or other wire supply source. Accordingly, the weld wire must travel from the stationary spool to the weld gun. The weld wire often must travel through a non-linear route from the spool to the weld gun, and therefore must make various turns and bends along the feed route. The number of bends and turns can result in friction accumulating on the wire, thereby increasing the necessary pulling or pushing force on the wire, while also resulting in wear and tear on the wire or the conduit through which the wire travels.
Additionally, the weld stations where welding occurs can vary from job to job, such that a fixed conduit for delivering the wire may be insufficient to supply weld wire from the stationary spool, thereby requiring installation of a new conduit or time consuming modification of an existing wire conduit.
Accordingly, there is a need for a wire guide system that provides reduced friction on the wire during delivery through the system, while being easily modifiable and flexible.